My wife and I knew that a traditional wedding route was not going to be for us. Our main focus was that we were celebrating our love and for the entire process to be about us. No one else. With that in mind, we knew an elopement style was the best fit. Little did we know that an adventure elopement would be waiting for us to stumble upon. When we found Adventure Instead, it was a no brainer. This was exactly what we were looking for without even knowing it. Heck, we didn’t even know this was an option! The entire process was so effortless, seamless, easy, and FUN! Maddie Mae kills the game on all fronts. This gal is a rockstar!!! She’s your planner, your guide, your officiant, your literal everything. Every single detail was covered throughout her process. Literally from the temperature of potential locations, to timing of sunrise and sunsets, to elevation height, to easy or hard hikes, to helping you find the best lodging, packing details, and other vendors. She didn’t miss a BEAT! Quite literally she covers everything and more than you will need to know/do for you special day. Cassandra and I are still in awe of our day. It was everything we dreamed of and everything we had yet to dream of! We would do this over and over and over again. I’ve already mentioned doing it again for an anniversary down the road because the experience was that incredible. Maddie Mae has created the BEST way to celebrate you and your other half. Anywhere in the world. Anything you want to do. Maddie Mae is there ready to capture it all and doing so with the brightest personality. So, if you’re thinking of doing an elopement. Do yourself a favor and do one better by doing the ADVENTURE INSTEAD ELOPEMENT! The experience. The photos. Ugh…. The photos. We seriously can’t stop looking at them. We’re a little obsessed. The memories. The laughs. It’s an experience you will never forget.

10.12.2024 - Utah
Love, The Saluans

My wife and I chose Adventure Instead for our Alaska elopement in October and it was hands down the best choice we could have made.

We talked to three other elopement photographers, and after our initial call with Maddie we knew right away that she was the right choice for us. She didn't bat an eye at a 6 week turnaround time, even though she had never been to Alaska at the time of year we suggested. We knew that she had the experience and expertise to make our day magic and with all the planning services she offers, we wouldn't have to stress about anything.

The lead up to our elopement was so reassuring. Regardless of how weather or conditions were going to be on the day of our wedding, Maddie had backup plans and suggestions to keep us comfortable and excited.

The day of our elopement Maddie arrived with her assistant, Alistair, and helped ease us into the day, checking that we were prepared and giving us some coaching and photography tips since neither my wife or I are super comfortable in front of the camera. She made us feel so at ease and was our NUMBER ONE hype woman.

The thing that really stood out to us about our experience with Maddie was how cared for we felt. In our professional work, my wife and I spend most of our time considering the experience of the people we work, managing logistics and using a ton of mental energy to ensure things go to plan. With Adventure Instead we didn't have to do any of that. Maddie and Alistair kept us on track, shuttled our belongings, brought us hand warmers and jackets before we even knew we were cold, and were so respectful of our overall experience on our special day.

And then there are the PHOTOS. Maddie is truly an artist. I have never seen such breathtaking images that capture the feelings of love and inspiration that we felt on that day. Receiving our "sneak peek" was like a gift. Along with the experience of a lifetime, they were worth every single penny we paid for them.

If you are looking for an elopement photographer who is inclusive, experienced, and will go above and beyond to make your wedding day stress free and exactly what you were dreaming about, look no further.

Best Elopement photographer in the game! Me and my wife had an amazing experience with Maddie and cherish all the photos we get to look back on to remember our special day!

Maddie was absolutely amazing! From the very beginning she helped us plan out our elopement day and made everything feel so easy and relaxed. On the day of, she was such a calming, fun presence and truly brought our vision to life. The photos are everything we hoped for and more. It ended up being the best day, and a huge part of that was because of her. If you’re thinking about hiring her—do it! You won’t regret it.

Working with Maddie was the most incredible experience. We had known for a long time that a traditional wedding was not what we imagined for ourselves but had no idea where to start. Maddie was so knowledgeable of not only the local area of where we wanted to elope but of the step-by-step of the entire elopement process. She listened to us describe our dream wedding and made it a reality for us. Our wedding day was perfect - intimate, unhurried and completely immersed with each other. And, of course, the photography is out of this world. We are in total awe of how beautifully and intimately our love was captured. Maddie fostered a welcoming, comfortable environment that allowed us to just be ourselves and completely embrace every minute of our day. We are so grateful to Maddie, not only for her exceptional photography, but for her support and kindness as well.

We first contacted Maddie before we had any real ideas of what an elopement would look like for us. We were overwhelmed by the idea of a wedding and the process of creating a guest list alone was too much for us. Maddie instantly made us feel heard and so excited about the possibilities ahead of us. As two people who struggle to make decisions, she really helped us navigate and envision what our elopement day could look like.

The amount of dedicated and thoughtful work that went into each detail is instantly apparent. Maddie created resources and slides to help us choose locations, lodging, excursions, and more. She was always available to answer questions and was patient with us as we took our time to sort through the choices.

Elopement day went effortlessly smooth. Meeting Maddie felt natural. She instantly made us feel comfortable and like we had been friends for awhile. Neither of us have really ever had professional photos taken so we were nervous about acting natural, but with Maddie's guidance we didn't have to think about what to do. The whole day was so fun and full of activities that made it truly feel representative of us: reading letters from family and friends in a canoe on an alpine lake, frolicking in fields of wildflowers at 12k feet, and driving on some crazy 4x4 roads in a rented Jeep.

The images we received are breathtaking. We have had so many of our friends and family say they are the most stunning wedding photos they've ever seen. We're so excited to display them on our walls and share them with everyone we know. Maddie is an incredibly talented photographer that took away 100% of the stress of planning a wedding, and made our elopement a day we will cherish for the rest of our lives. We recommend her wholeheartedly!!

Working with Maddie at Adventure Instead was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.

From the very beginning, Maddie went out of her way to understand exactly what we were looking for and helped us push our imagination beyond just "not a traditional wedding" - what we co-created was a deeply personal, intentional, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We created an epic 2-day Alaskan adventure that included a helicopter journey across glaciers and mountains, vows beside a glacial melt pond, and quiet, meaningful moments that balanced out the adrenaline. Every detail was thoughtful and intentional - this could have easily been overwhelming so while she helped us creatively get our heads in the clouds to craft our dream day, she was equally a lifesaver handling the hour-by-hour practicalities from packing lists to timelines - all so we could live in the truly incredible moments we were making.

On the photography side, Maddie has an incredible eye for storytelling - capturing both the vast, cinematic scale of Alaska and the quiet, intimate moments in between - and even indulging our requests for Wes Anderson quirk. Looking at our photos feels like reliving the experience all over again - months later we keep finding ourselves drawn back to flipping through our albums.

Perhaps most importantly, Maddie brought a calm, confident, and joyful presence to every step of the process. In environments that could have felt overwhelming or unpredictable, she made us feel completely at ease - like we were in the hands of someone who genuinely cared about our experience, not just the outcome.

If you’re considering Adventure Instead, know this: Maddie will help you create something that is uniquely yours, wildly beautiful, and far beyond what you thought was possible. We will be grateful to her forever for helping us start this chapter of our lives in such an extraordinary way.

Thank you, Maddie! 

When we first started planning our elopement, my biggest fear was that it wouldn’t feel special — that it might feel too small or casual, like we weren’t “really” getting married. I was also nervous about having someone else there for such a private moment and worried that it might feel awkward or intrusive. Those fears disappeared almost instantly.

From our first conversation, Maddie made everything feel light, fun, and stress-free. She helped us focus on what really mattered — why we were there — and she captured our day with such sensitivity and care that it felt completely natural. I never once felt posed, silly, or uncomfortable. Honestly, it just felt like hiking with a friend who happened to have a camera and an incredible eye for detail.

Because we were eloping from out of state, Maddie’s resources and recommendations were a godsend. She had vendor suggestions for everything — florists, hair and makeup, even hiking-friendly attire — and every single one was perfect. We loved the vendors she recommended, and she even helped me find my dress (the first one I tried on!) by sending a detailed style guide that balanced comfort and aesthetics perfectly. She thinks of everything — from the right shade of suit to wear, to bringing nude leggings for under my dress (game-changer!), to a detailed checklist of props like lanterns and picnic blankets that made the day feel uniquely ours.

Choosing our location was another area where Maddie truly shined. We had a vision in mind but couldn’t quite describe it, and she somehow translated our vague ideas into the perfect spot. The location ended up being even more beautiful and meaningful than we imagined.

We absolutely love our images. They perfectly capture the way our day felt — joyful, intimate, and full of awe. Every time we look through them, we’re instantly transported back to that moment. Sharing them with friends and family afterward was so special, and everyone commented on how natural and full of life they felt.

We originally chose Maddie for her photography style, but what made the experience unforgettable was her planning expertise, knowledge, and warmth. She’s so much more than a photographer — she’s part guide, part planner, part hype-woman, and part stealthy documentarian who manages to catch every meaningful moment without ever making you feel like you’re “being photographed.”

We ended our wedding day not only married, but genuinely happy, relaxed, and grateful — and with a new friend for life.

We are so happy we decided to elope and even more thrilled that Maddie was our photographer. I had followed Adventure Instead on IG for years and always knew she would be a top contender for a photographer someday. That day finally came and she was the only person I actually talked to about being our photographer. Her energy, commitment to adventure elopements, and love for intimate moments was all I needed to pick her. It was also important that I had someone that supports ALL types of love.

She takes the time to really get to know you as a couple. She asks you bunches of nitty gritty details ahead of time so once you do meet in person it feels like you’ve been friends already.
She was kind enough to lend us her canoe for a portion of our elopement, did all the grunt work of planning a perfect timeline (and executing it too), and just made sure we felt prepared and confident going into the day of.

We’ve only received our sneak peaks so far, but she provided a generous amount and we are blown away by them! The editing style was exactly what I expected, and she adds her own touch of artistry to her shots.

Our elopement was a full day, and was so so fun and very “us”. Highly recommend working with Maddie if intimacy and epic scenery paired with adventure is your jam

I had followed Adventure Instead on Instagram for a few years and then the pandemic hit and they had a huge influx of people wanting to elope. I thought it would be too impossible by the time I got engaged in April 2021 that they would have space OR I could afford it. I was dead wrong! I received a response really quickly from Maddie upon my first inquiry and from that point on, over a period of 1.5 years, the whole team would be incredibly accommodating to changing plans and locations.

I ended up having a traditional wedding for family, but my husband and I were still able to live out our dream during a photo session with Maddie at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Maddie is so incredibly knowledgeable about the process of finding the perfect spot(s) and covers everything you could possibly need for your elopement. Her team is well versed with the ins and outs of planning, and were incredibly respectful of my stress that came from changing plans. Even on our trip to Colorado there were several bumps along the way, but she made that day one of the best days of our lives.

We just got our “sneak peek” and I feel so completely fulfilled. The whole process was so emotional and now I have these phenomenal photos which made it all worth it.